Improvement in ironing apparatus



- 2SheetsSheetl. L. STERNBERGER & D. M. PFAUTZ.

IRONING APPARATUS. No. 174,589, Patented March 7,1876.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2. L. STERNBERGER & D. M. PFAUTZ.

IRONING APPARATUS.

Ptented March '7, 1876.

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[flamed mm moi flaw-MAW MW WW rTED STATES PATENT 'OFFIca 'LEOPOLDSTERNBERGER AND DANIEL M. PFAUTZ, OF PHILADELPHIA, PA.;

SAID PFAUTZ ASSIGNOR TO SAID STERNBERGER.

IMPROVEMENT lN IRONING APPARATUS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 174.589, dated March7, 1876 application filed October 22, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that We, LEoPoLD STERNBER- GER and DANIEL M. PEAUTZ, ofPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented a Machine for Ironing andPolishing Textile Fabrics, of which the following is a specification:

The object of our invention is toconstruct a machine for rapidly andthoroughly ironing and polishing textile fabrics, and this object weattain in the manner which we will now proceed to describe, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is aperspective view of our improved ironing and polishing machine; Fig. 2,a side elevation of the same, partly in section Fig. 3, an enlargedvertical section of the polishing-iron and its operating devices; Fig.4, a sectional plan view of the body of the iron; and Figs. 5 and 6,views of modifications.

Although we have illustrated and are about to describe our improvedmachine in connection with a steam-heated iron, it should be understoodin the outset that different forms of irons, heated either by steam orgas, or detachable irons heated by means of a stove or furnace, may beemployed.

The main operating parts of the machine are arranged above a' suitabletable, X, on which the fabric to be ironed is laid, and are carried by aframe, A, consisting of two vertical bars, a a, connected together atand near the top by cross-bars a a, to which is pivoted one end of acurved swinging-frame, B, provided at its opposite 'end with groovedrollers 11 b and d d, between which are guided the opposite side bars ofa longitudinally-adjustable frame, D, carryingat its outer end thesmoothing and polishing iron E and the device for reciprocating thesame. The iron E has two pins, 0, adapted to a longitudinal slot in thelower portion of the frame F, which is slotted near the upper edge, andin this slot are formed sockets adapted to a sphere, e, inclosing auniversal joint, as, which connects together the upper and lower halvesof an upright shaft, f, so that the said frame F and iron E can be heldin any position which the character of the work may require, a handle,

F, being arranged at one end of the frame F in order to facilitate thisoperation.

The iron is reciprocatcd by means of a crank, 9, attached to the end ofthe lower half of the shaft f, a pin on the end of this crank working ina transverse slot, g, in the upper face of the iron. The upper end ofthe shaft f has its hearing in a bracket, H, se-

in order to insure a proper frictional contact between the two. Thebevel-wheel t gears into a similar wheel, z", secured to the end of ahorizontal shaft, j, which also has its bean ing in the bracketH, andafter passing through an opening in the lower end of the swingingarm Bis adapted to a bearing at the upper end of a bracket projecting from abed-plate, I, firmly secured to the table. The shat'tj carries abevel-wheel, k, which is so secured to the same that while it cannotturn independently of the shaft, the latter has a free longitudinalmovement. The wheel 70 is adapted to a horizontal bevel-wheel, l,secured to the upper end of a vertical shaft, m, which has a bearingnear the upper end in a central projection of the bed-plate I, and isprovided near its lower end with fast and loose pulleys J and J, towhich power is applied from any-adjacent shaft, The bed-plate I has ateach end an opening for the passage of one of the vertical bars a of theframe A, these bars being attached below the table to aforkedlever, K,hung to brackets g], and connected at its outer end to a treadle-lever,L, so that by pressing upon the latter the frame A will be depressed andthe iron E caused to bear upon the surface of the table withany requireddegree of pressure. Springs a, beneath the lower ends of the bars a, anda spring, 12, attached to the lever 70, tend to raise the frame A aspoints.

soon as pressure upon the treadle L is removed. The treadle-lever Lcarries at its i11 ner end a belt-shifter, M, which is so arranged thatwhen the treadle is depressed, in order to bring the iron E in contactwith the surface of the table, the belt will be moved from the loosepulley J to the fast pulley J, and the machine will be put in operation,While the elevation ofthe treadle, to an extent sufficient to lift theiron free from the surface of the table, will cause a reversal of thismovement and a consequent stoppage of the machine.

The mode of heating the iron E, when steam is employed, is shown 'inFig. 4, on reference to which It will be observed that the shell of theiron has two openings,p and p, which communicate with a passage formedby the angular partition q, this passage being of such a shape thatsteam entering the opening 1) is compelled to pass entirely around theiron before it can escape from the opening 1), thus insuring a thoroughheating of the iron at all The openings and p are connected by means offlexible tubes 0" and 1" to inlet and exhaust pipes s and s, so that aconstant circulation of steam is maintained without interfering with theoperations of the irons.

Variousforms of universal joints may be employed in connection with thesectional shaft f. Thus, when heavy work is to be performed, it may befound advisable to employ the halved sphere shown in Fig. 5, theadjoining faces of the two halves being made. convex, and being providedwith teeth which gear into each other, as shown.

In order to permit the iron E to be removed from the frame F, whennecessary, we prefer -in some cases to so secure the crank g to thelower end of the shaft f, either by squaring the shaft, or by means of asuitable key or feather, that the said crank can be lifted until its pinis clear of the transverse slot 9 of the iron. This movement is effectedby raising an arm, t, Fig. 6, attached to the crank and projectingthrough a slot in the side of the frame F, so as to be under the directcontrol of the operator.

A spring'pin may be combined with the arm t, so that the crank may beheld in either of its extremepositions.

V In some instances the lever K may be dispensed with, and the pressureon the iron regulated, by the hand' of the operator, through the mediumof the frameF and its handle F;

but we prefer the arrangement shown and described, on account of itsease and the certainty of its operation.

It will be evident, without further description, that with theabove'deseribed machine the operation of ironing a piece of fabric canbe performed much more rapidly and efl'ectually than with the usualheated iron operated by hand, for in this machinethe polishing of thefabric is effected entirely by the powerdriven iron, the operator merelyregulating the pressure and guiding the iron over the surface of thefabric, and as the iron is both universally pivoted and secured to theend of a universally-adjustable frame. the latter operation can beperformed without difliculty.

We claim as our invention- L'An ironing-machine in which auniversally-adjustable frame is combined with an iron having areciprocating motion independent of said frame, as set forth.

2. The combination of the longitudinallyadjustable frame D, carrying atits outer end the iron E and its reciprocating devices, with thelaterally-swinging frame B, substantially as set forth.

3. The iron E, having pins adapted. to a longitudinal slot in the frameF, and. a transverse slot, g, adapted to a pill on a crank, g, at thelower end of the shaft f, asset forth.

4. The combination of the frame F, carrying the iron E with the shaft f,made'in two parts, connected together by a universal joint,

substantially as and for the purpose described. 5. The combination ofthe shaftf, its loose bevel-wheel i, and friction-clutch h, with thelever G hung to the frame F, as set forth.

6. The combination of the iron E and its transverse slot g with -acrank, g, rendered vertically adjustable on the shaft f, as and for thepurpose set forth.

7. The combination of the iron E and its inlet and outlet openings 1)and p with the inlet and exhaust pipes s and 8 and the flexible tubes 7and r, as set forth.

8. The iron E, provided with inlet and outlet openingsp and p, and aninternal partition q between said openings, as set forth.

9. The combination of the frame A and lever K with the treadle-lever L,its belt-shifter M, and the fast and loose pulleys J and J on thedriving-shaft m, all being arranged and operating-in respect to eachother as and for the purpose setforth.

10. The combination of the bevel-wheel i on the shaft f, and thebevel-wheel l on the shaft m, with the longitudinally-adjustable frame jand its bevel-wheels i and k.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' LEOPOLD STERNBERGER.

DANIEL M. PFAUTZ. Witnesses:

HARRY HOWSON, J r., HARRY SMITH.

